Sergio Garcia debuts broomstick putter for the first time in competition at LIV Golf New York

Sergio Garcia has turned to a broomstick putter for the first time in competition as he looks to reignite his fortunes on the greens at LIV Golf New York.

The 46-year-old Spaniard, renowned for frequently experimenting with putter models and putting strokes throughout his illustrious career, put a L.A.B. Golf DF3 XL Broomstick in play during the first round at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster on Thursday. 

The early signs were encouraging. Garcia carded a steady 1-under 70 to sit T10 after the opening round, needing just 27 putts - an average of 1.5 putts per hole - comfortably better than his season average of 1.64.

Speaking exclusively to GolfMagic after the first round, the record Ryder Cup points scorer admitted his broom putter had only today graduated from practice to competition. 

"Today was the first competitive round with it," Garcia told GolfMagic Editor Andy Roberts. 

"I've been messing around with it a little bit in practice and it's felt good.

"It felt good today and I rolled it nicely, so if it keeps feeling nice I will definitely keep using it, hopefully that's the case."

Scroll down to watch Garcia with his broom...

Garcia, who won the 2017 Masters, had never previously used a broomstick putter in competition despite regularly tinkering with various different putter models and putting methods over the course of his career.

The L.A.B. Golf DF3 has become one of the most talked-about putters in golf since its launch in 2024, earning widespread praise for its patented zero-torque technology that helps golfers return the clubface square at impact more consistently.

Garcia's broom version retains the familiar DF3 head shape but features a head that is 13% taller to increase weight for the longer build. 

It also includes four additional weight ports for Lie Angle Balance tuning, while a more curved sole is designed to optimise performance with the more upright setup required by broomstick putters.

Why should you consider a broomstick putter? 

The biggest advantage of a broomstick putter is its ability to minimise wrist and hand movement, promoting a pendulum-style stroke powered by the shoulders. 

By separating the hands along a much longer shaft, face rotation through impact is significantly reduced, helping improve consistency and, for some players, combat the dreaded putting yips.

Whether the Fireballs captain sticks with the unconventional setup for the duration of 2026 and into next season remains to be seen, but after an encouraging debut he certainly appears in no rush to change.

Garcia heads into Friday's second round at 1-under par, six shots behind leader Joaquin Niemann, a player he once mentored during the Chilean's amateur days.